The Modern Urban Beaver (Castor modernis)is a large rodent similar in appearance and behavior to its predecessor the North American Beaver. As evolution has taken place, the previous North American Beaver was forced to adapt as its habitat was destroyed by growing human populations, and the pollution that has been produced.To counteract this the North American Beaver was forced to develop new adaptations that would allow it to survive in the new polluted world amongst humans and their own habitats. The Modern Urban Beaver has adapted very well to this with adaptations to its fur, legs, tail and behavior. Many have noticed that the Modern Urban Beaver does have a body shape that makes it look much like a rat, although much larger and stronger.
The Modern Urban Beaver as adult
HABITAT
The Modern Urban Beaver resides in Northern America among coastal cities including New York, California, and San Francisco. Due to its adaptations from the North American Beaver and environmental impacts of growing cities and pollution the Modern Urban beaver has developed traits to allow it to live in heavily polluted areas much different from the North American Beavers habitat. What has caused these traits to surface and evolve is the rising sea levels and rising levels of pollution in North America including Canada and the United States. Over the past decades oil, trash and chemical waste has slowly build up in rivers and the sea which has been channeled into the North American Beavers habitat. To counter this the North American Beaver migrated southwards where it was surrounded by trash and not able to leave its presence, so it adapted to live within these polluted areas.
Location for Modern Urban Beavers (location: National Park, Presidio of San Francisco)
The Modern Urban Beaver is a water dweller that spends most of its life on beaches, in sewers and pipes and polluted bays. The Modern Urban Beaver has slowly made its home to the beaches and rock pools of San Fransisco Bay, North Beach California, and on the Beach of Coney Island, New York. These habitats although heavily polluted and filled with trash, provide a good mix of land and water for the Modern Urban Beaver to choose from and to abide in. There unique fur allows them to keep these oils and harsh substances away from their body. The Modern Urban Beavers unique 3 layer fur protect it from the harsh salt water seas. Naturally this water would have irritated the North American Beavers skin so it tried to keep itself in fresh water. This three layer fur does however help to keep the water away from the Beavers body, keeping it dry, warm, and protected. When creating homes on the beaches the Beaver will look for rock pools to build its own modified dam, much smaller than the North American Beavers.
The Modern Urban Beaver will commonly make drain pipes their homes (source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/formerwmdriver/4511083754/)
Some Beavers find their new homes to be at the entrances of pipe lines and even some sewers. This although unhealthy habitat for the Beaver, is safe from humans and many predators. The Beaver will often try and Dam off a drain pipe exit to satisfy its natural instinct to build dams. They will live in these alone until they find a mate who is near by. Some people and workers have spotted these dams in city and rural areas with a single Modern Urban Beaver inside. They noticed that their dams were made of scraps that came into the drainage systems. They also noted that the Beaver was incredibly dirty, and bad tempered. Some even say that the Beaver had tried to attack them. This does indicate that this environment is not a good one for the Beaver, but is a good place for food as scraps flow through the stream all day.
Majority of Modern Urban Beavers like to make their home in cities, within wildlife parks, rivers, banks, channels, and bays. Although these habitats are very different from the North American Beavers, they are still very dirty and are artificial environments for the Modern Urban Beaver. In many of the bays and streams the Beaver must swim very fast to dodge traffic and boats, and also swim fast underwater to stay stealthy and hidden from predators including canines, wolves, coyotes, and hawks. Their amazing slimline and flexible feet, and the addition to its fin shaped tail allow it to swim so fast underwater. The Modern Urban Beaver also has incredible lungs which allow it to swim under water for up to 20 minutes. There is alot of human interaction with Modern Urban Beavers, some intentional, and some unintentional. To defend itself and its home Beavers have a very hostile nature.
Location of the Modern Urban Beaver (source: http://photobucket.com/images/north%20america%20map/?page=5&userinit=true&source=header)
ADAPTATIONS Behavioral 1
The Modern Urban Beaver has developed from the North American Beaver to live a life on its own with no family. A Beaver will have one kit with its mate. The Beaver will find its mate close to its own home, some Modern Urban Beavers have been known to travel very long distances to find a mate. The kit will gestate for around 10 months where it will develop inside the mother. Once the single kit is born, the parents will tend to it for a year where it will learn its basic survival skills. After a year the father will leave back to its lodge it started at and relocate to find another mate. However the Mother will tend to the Beaver for another year. Once this 2 year period is up the 2 year old kit will go out into its habitat and create its own lodge. The Female will soon after be greeted by another male to repeat the process. This process helps the Modern Beaver survive because a family of Beavers cannot supply enough food for more than one kit. This repeated process of producing offspring guarentees that there is a steady flow of Beavers released and enough food for them to survive with in one area. This was caused from environmental pressures of the destruction of trees. The North American Beaver was not able to bring up a family and survive winter due to a lack of trees, so an adaptation took place in which the Beaver was producing less offspring gradually.
Behavioral 2
Another Behavioral trait of the Modern Urban Beaver its its hostile nature. The North American Beaver is a fairly calm species, but through evolution this nature had changed from calm to incredibly hostile. This helps keep the Beavers home safe from predators including canines, wolves, coyotes, hawks, and humans, whilst also scaring off animals such as rats, cobras, and bats . When someone or something approaches the Modern Urban Beaver it will growl, show its sharp chiseled teeth, and its tail will raise to prepare to whip the intruder. This natural behavior will keep the Beaver alone and secluded, and reduce the risk of its home being taken over by another Beaver or animal species. This Behavior developed because with a lack of trees there is an incredible lack of building materials for the Modern Urban Beaver to build its lodge. Instead it would have to scavenge for scrap and garbage left by humans to build its lodge.
Structural 1
The Feet and front paws of the Modern Urban Beaver are very suitable to the water and land. A perfect balance of muscle power and stability allow the Modern Urban Beaver to swim very fast when it is underwater, and also very speedy when on land. These paddled paws and feet give a lot of push when swimming, but also give the Modern Urban Beaver good grip when collecting materials to create its lodge. This adaptation helps the Beaver to survive when it must travel hostile terrain including areas with predators, and underwater when swimming away from crocodiles to protect itself. This trait would have developed long ago when the North American Beaver was hunted. The North American Beaver was reasonably slow so environmental pressure from humans was forced onto it to develop better muscles and more flexible legs to give it a large increase in speed so it could survive longer and keep the species alive.
Modern Urban Beaver tracks
Structural 2
The second adaptation the Modern Urban Beaver has developed through evolution is its incredibly tough, thick and protective fur. There 3 layers of different fur is so thick that when they swim, their bodies do not get wet, only the first 2 layers of their fur. This very special fur makes sure that the Modern Urban Beaver is always protected, meaning that this adaptation is a very valuable one. Their fur has been known to be so thick that some scissors are unable to cut it. This adaptation would have most likley developed from the North American Beaver when pollution started to flood their dams and streams. Many North American Beavers had died out because of this pollution and acid that really just cooked them to death. Naturally, through environmental pressures, the Modern Urban Beavers fur developed to be incredibly thick, dense and waterproof, keeping all liquids away from the Beavers Body. Because of such a wide spread effect of water pollution this adaptation is very important for the survival of the Modern Urban Beaver.
Physiological
A physiological adaptation of the Modern Urban Beaver is its high capacity lungs that are capable of allowing the Beaver to swim underwater for up to 20 minutes. Their lungs and liver are very effective at capturing large amounts of oxygen and storing red blood cells in the liver to allow for this 20 minute diving time. The capacity of the Modern Urban Beaver's lungs is not respectively large, only about one third capacity of the marine seal, but they are very effective with in addition with the liver. This adaptation will allow the Modern Urban Beaver to swim deep, and far, and stay undetected when traversing areas with predators and human sea traffic. Some Modern Urban Beavers have also been seen to scavenge the floor of a harbor for scraps it may use for its lodge. This adaptation would have been forced to evolve as new species of predators were introduced in the North American Beavers habitat. They needed a way to stay undetected for large amounts of time. Although the North American Beaver can swim for a very long time, this value increased during the evolution into the Modern Urban Beaver to increase its chances of survival.
Other Information
The Modern Urban Beaver is only a new species, and an example of organisms evolving to live in the 34th century where pollution has taken its toll on natural environments and still rising sea levels. The Modern Urban Beaver has adapted to this by become more hostile, developing adaptations to help it live in polluted environments. Not all The North American Beavers have been phased out quite yet, but there numbers are coming incredibly low and will be likely to become extinct within the next century. The Modern Urban Beaver is a fantastic example of natures ability to evolve and adapt itself to a changing environment, and a changing planet.
The Beaver. (n.d.). Straight talk about issues affecting America today: America's Christian Heritage, Separation of Church and State, Abortion, Evolution. Retrieved July 29, 2010, from http://www.straight-talk.net/evolution/beaver.htm
Modern Urban Beaver
< Ancient Giant Beaver.. ......................................................... < North American Beaver
The Modern Urban Beaver (Castor modernis) is a large rodent similar in appearance and behavior to its predecessor the North American Beaver. As evolution has taken place, the previous North American Beaver was forced to adapt as its habitat was destroyed by growing human populations, and the pollution that has been produced.To counteract this the North American Beaver was forced to develop new adaptations that would allow it to survive in the new polluted world amongst humans and their own habitats. The Modern Urban Beaver has adapted very well to this with adaptations to its fur, legs, tail and behavior. Many have noticed that the Modern Urban Beaver does have a body shape that makes it look much like a rat, although much larger and stronger.
HABITAT
The Modern Urban Beaver resides in Northern America among coastal cities including New York, California, and San Francisco. Due to its adaptations from the North American Beaver and environmental impacts of growing cities and pollution the Modern Urban beaver has developed traits to allow it to live in heavily polluted areas much different from the North American Beavers habitat. What has caused these traits to surface and evolve is the rising sea levels and rising levels of pollution in North America including Canada and the United States. Over the past decades oil, trash and chemical waste has slowly build up in rivers and the sea which has been channeled into the North American Beavers habitat. To counter this the North American Beaver migrated southwards where it was surrounded by trash and not able to leave its presence, so it adapted to live within these polluted areas.
Location for Modern Urban Beavers (location: National Park, Presidio of San Francisco)
The Modern Urban Beaver is a water dweller that spends most of its life on beaches, in sewers and pipes and polluted bays. The Modern Urban Beaver has slowly made its home to the beaches and rock pools of San Fransisco Bay, North Beach California, and on the Beach of Coney Island, New York. These habitats although heavily polluted and filled with trash, provide a good mix of land and water for the Modern Urban Beaver to choose from and to abide in. There unique fur allows them to keep these oils and harsh substances away from their body. The Modern Urban Beavers unique 3 layer fur protect it from the harsh salt water seas. Naturally this water would have irritated the North American Beavers skin so it tried to keep itself in fresh water. This three layer fur does however help to keep the water away from the Beavers body, keeping it dry, warm, and protected. When creating homes on the beaches the Beaver will look for rock pools to build its own modified dam, much smaller than the North American Beavers.
Some Beavers find their new homes to be at the entrances of pipe lines and even some sewers. This although unhealthy habitat for the Beaver, is safe from humans and many predators. The Beaver will often try and Dam off a drain pipe exit to satisfy its natural instinct to build dams. They will live in these alone until they find a mate who is near by. Some people and workers have spotted these dams in city and rural areas with a single Modern Urban Beaver inside. They noticed that their dams were made of scraps that came into the drainage systems. They also noted that the Beaver was incredibly dirty, and bad tempered. Some even say that the Beaver had tried to attack them. This does indicate that this environment is not a good one for the Beaver, but is a good place for food as scraps flow through the stream all day.
Majority of Modern Urban Beavers like to make their home in cities, within wildlife parks, rivers, banks, channels, and bays. Although these habitats are very different from the North American Beavers, they are still very dirty and are artificial environments for the Modern Urban Beaver. In many of the bays and streams the Beaver must swim very fast to dodge traffic and boats, and also swim fast underwater to stay stealthy and hidden from predators including canines, wolves, coyotes, and hawks. Their amazing slimline and flexible feet, and the addition to its fin shaped tail allow it to swim so fast underwater. The Modern Urban Beaver also has incredible lungs which allow it to swim under water for up to 20 minutes. There is alot of human interaction with Modern Urban Beavers, some intentional, and some unintentional. To defend itself and its home Beavers have a very hostile nature.
ADAPTATIONS
Behavioral 1
The Modern Urban Beaver has developed from the North American Beaver to live a life on its own with no family. A Beaver will have one kit with its mate. The Beaver will find its mate close to its own home, some Modern Urban Beavers have been known to travel very long distances to find a mate. The kit will gestate for around 10 months where it will develop inside the mother. Once the single kit is born, the parents will tend to it for a year where it will learn its basic survival skills. After a year the father will leave back to its lodge it started at and relocate to find another mate. However the Mother will tend to the Beaver for another year. Once this 2 year period is up the 2 year old kit will go out into its habitat and create its own lodge. The Female will soon after be greeted by another male to repeat the process. This process helps the Modern Beaver survive because a family of Beavers cannot supply enough food for more than one kit. This repeated process of producing offspring guarentees that there is a steady flow of Beavers released and enough food for them to survive with in one area. This was caused from environmental pressures of the destruction of trees. The North American Beaver was not able to bring up a family and survive winter due to a lack of trees, so an adaptation took place in which the Beaver was producing less offspring gradually.
Behavioral 2
Another Behavioral trait of the Modern Urban Beaver its its hostile nature. The North American Beaver is a fairly calm species, but through evolution this nature had changed from calm to incredibly hostile. This helps keep the Beavers home safe from predators including canines, wolves, coyotes, hawks, and humans, whilst also scaring off animals such as rats, cobras, and bats . When someone or something approaches the Modern Urban Beaver it will growl, show its sharp chiseled teeth, and its tail will raise to prepare to whip the intruder. This natural behavior will keep the Beaver alone and secluded, and reduce the risk of its home being taken over by another Beaver or animal species. This Behavior developed because with a lack of trees there is an incredible lack of building materials for the Modern Urban Beaver to build its lodge. Instead it would have to scavenge for scrap and garbage left by humans to build its lodge.
Structural 1
The Feet and front paws of the Modern Urban Beaver are very suitable to the water and land. A perfect balance of muscle power and stability allow the Modern Urban Beaver to swim very fast when it is underwater, and also very speedy when on land. These paddled paws and feet give a lot of push when swimming, but also give the Modern Urban Beaver good grip when collecting materials to create its lodge. This adaptation helps the Beaver to survive when it must travel hostile terrain including areas with predators, and underwater when swimming away from crocodiles to protect itself. This trait would have developed long ago when the North American Beaver was hunted. The North American Beaver was reasonably slow so environmental pressure from humans was forced onto it to develop better muscles and more flexible legs to give it a large increase in speed so it could survive longer and keep the species alive.
Structural 2
The second adaptation the Modern Urban Beaver has developed through evolution is its incredibly tough, thick and protective fur. There 3 layers of different fur is so thick that when they swim, their bodies do not get wet, only the first 2 layers of their fur. This very special fur makes sure that the Modern Urban Beaver is always protected, meaning that this adaptation is a very valuable one. Their fur has been known to be so thick that some scissors are unable to cut it. This adaptation would have most likley developed from the North American Beaver when pollution started to flood their dams and streams. Many North American Beavers had died out because of this pollution and acid that really just cooked them to death. Naturally, through environmental pressures, the Modern Urban Beavers fur developed to be incredibly thick, dense and waterproof, keeping all liquids away from the Beavers Body. Because of such a wide spread effect of water pollution this adaptation is very important for the survival of the Modern Urban Beaver.
Physiological
A physiological adaptation of the Modern Urban Beaver is its high capacity lungs that are capable of allowing the Beaver to swim underwater for up to 20 minutes. Their lungs and liver are very effective at capturing large amounts of oxygen and storing red blood cells in the liver to allow for this 20 minute diving time. The capacity of the Modern Urban Beaver's lungs is not respectively large, only about one third capacity of the marine seal, but they are very effective with in addition with the liver. This adaptation will allow the Modern Urban Beaver to swim deep, and far, and stay undetected when traversing areas with predators and human sea traffic. Some Modern Urban Beavers have also been seen to scavenge the floor of a harbor for scraps it may use for its lodge. This adaptation would have been forced to evolve as new species of predators were introduced in the North American Beavers habitat. They needed a way to stay undetected for large amounts of time. Although the North American Beaver can swim for a very long time, this value increased during the evolution into the Modern Urban Beaver to increase its chances of survival.
Other Information
The Modern Urban Beaver is only a new species, and an example of organisms evolving to live in the 34th century where pollution has taken its toll on natural environments and still rising sea levels. The Modern Urban Beaver has adapted to this by become more hostile, developing adaptations to help it live in polluted environments. Not all The North American Beavers have been phased out quite yet, but there numbers are coming incredibly low and will be likely to become extinct within the next century. The Modern Urban Beaver is a fantastic example of natures ability to evolve and adapt itself to a changing environment, and a changing planet.
Sources
Doelen, V. (n.d.). Wild Beaver Return To "Most Polluted City In North America" - Vanderblogger. CS Redir. Retrieved July 29, 2010, from http://communities.canada.com/windsorstar/blogs/vanderblogger/archive/2008/04/30/wild-beaver-return-to-most-polluted-city-in-north-america.aspx
Pollution of the Ocean by Plastic and Trash - sea, oceans, effects, types, source, effect, marine, human. (n.d.). Water: Science and Issues. Retrieved July 29, 2010, from http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/Po-Re/Pollution-of-the-Ocean-by-Plastic-and-Trash.html
The Beaver. (n.d.). Straight talk about issues affecting America today: America's Christian Heritage, Separation of Church and State, Abortion, Evolution. Retrieved July 29, 2010, from http://www.straight-talk.net/evolution/beaver.htm
The Beaver - Adaptations. (n.d.). Toronto Zoo | Canada's premier Zoo. Retrieved July 29, 2010, from http://www.torontozoo.com/adoptapond/curriculum/f1_popup1.html